From Eldorado to EastEnders – British soaps ranked, from worst to best

Oft-overlooked as the “third soap”, the Yorkshire Dales saga has inexorably risen in profile over its 45-year lifespan. Initially a modest daytime affair about the Sugden family and Woolpack pub, it was promoted to primetime in the late 70s or early 80s (dependent on one's ITV region) and began broadcasting year-round in 1988.The following year, “Farm” was dropped from the title.

In 1993, it attracted its highest-ever audience of 18m when a plane crashed into the village, killing four characters. The survivors changed the village’s name from Beckindale to Emmerdale to signal a fresh start.

Since then, increasingly high-stakes storylines, a sexed-up cast and bigger budgets have propelled ratings to 9m on a regular basis, helped by ever-more explosive disasters, shock deaths and the new-found dominance of the Tate, Windsor-Hope and Dingle families. Emmerdale is currently breathing down the neck of “the big two” and is arguably more consistent than either. The 8000th episode airs later this year. ‘Appen it will.